Tuesday, March 02, 2010

In the midst of one of the most remarkable stretches in Big East history, the Marquette Warriors (19-9, 10-6) aim to extend their recent hot-streak against the Louisville Cardinals on Al's Night at the Bradley Center. Winners in eight of their last nine outings, including the last three on the road in overtime, Marquette likely needs to win one of its remaining two home games to securely punch a ticket to the 2010 NCAA tournament.

Standing in the way tonight are the surging Louisville Cardinals (19-10, 10-6). Winners in four of their last five games, Pitino's Cards are battling to remain on the inside of the NCAA tournament bubble. Louisville's road win at UConn on Sunday proved that the Cardinals have turned the corner this season after baffling early season home losses to Western Carolina and Charlotte. In February the Cardinals topped UConn twice, won on the road at Syracuse and earned a tough overtime win over Notre Dame. A late-season push has become standard operating procedure for Pitino's teams at Louisville.

Coming down the stretch run of his college career Lazar Hayward is playing his best basketball of the season. Hayward turned in back-to-back 20 point outings in the wins over St. John's and Seton Hall, the first time he's accomplished that in more than a month. Senior Maurice Acker remains steady at the point, delivering 17 assists against just three turnovers in 112 combined minutes on the recent road trip. Still, Acker's shooting has suffered of late, he hit just 31% from the floor on the road trip but remained clutch in the waning moments of each game.